It has been a steady week for sightings but packed full of variety.
Birds
Around the visitor centre goldcrests have been heard singing in the trees and some more chiffchaffs have fledged.
Along the east trail sedge warblers and reed warblers continue to raise their young. Whilst on Patsy’s there is a plethora of ducks in their various eclipse forms. A search through reveals pochards, gadwall, shovelers and a red-crested pochard.
A turtle dove was sighted around willow wood on Thursday morning.
Turtle dove, RSPB Images
Within the reedbed the great white egret was seen again on Thursday and the still weather resulted in lots of bearded tit activity.
Moving onto the Freshmarsh, wader numbers have dropped slightly but there are still over 400 avocets, 41 ruff, 17 black-tailed godwits, 3 spotted redshanks, 1 green sandpiper, 19 dunlin, 4 little ringed plovers and a steady movement of whimbrel overhead. Spoonbills continue to be seen daily.
Down on the beach we still have breeding ringed plovers on eggs so please respect signage and don’t approach the cordons to photograph these birds as this does disturb them. Other birds on the beach include oystercatchers, turnstones and ringed plovers.
Whimbrel, RSPB Images
On the sea two black terns and a Manx shearwater were sighted first thing on Thursday morning and on Wednesday 67 common scoters flew west.
Hobby’s and peregrines are being sighted daily chasing the waders and hirundine’s around.
For those interested in gull watching up to 5 yellow-legged gulls have been seen roosting in the evenings, whilst a Caspian gull has been recorded on the beach.
Butterflies
There are plenty of butterflies to be seen across the reserve including a couple of wall butterflies along the west bank path whilst across the reserve you can find gatekeepers, commas, red admirals, and meadow browns. With warm winds coming from the south there is always a chance of a migrant butterfly such as painted ladies and clouded yellows.
Please do share your sightings with us
Lizzie Bruce
NW Norfolk Reserves Warden